Apparatus for low temperature carbonization



Aug. 8, 1933. J. D. MCQUADE APPARATUS FOR LOW TEMPERATURE CARBONIZATION Filed Nov.

16, 1929 2 Sheets-Sheet l Imam/(lon All@ 8, 1933- A J. D. McQuADE 1,921,993 n y l APPARATUS FOR LOW TEMPERATURE CARBONIZATION Filed Nov. 16, 1929 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 1 jamenseynome Patented ug. 8, 1.933:

UNITED STATES APPARATUS FOR LOW TEMPERATURE CARBONIZATION James Dorsey McQuade, Monndsville, W. Va.

Application November 16, 1929 Serial No. 407,7 06

3 Claims.

My invention relates to low temperature carbonization of coal and other carbonaceous substances and has for its ,object to improve the methods and apparatus used for this purpose.

In all the methods of carbonization in which the material to be treated is introduced into one end of a horizontal retort,` which is subjected to heat, just sufhcient to drive off the volatiles in the form of condensable vapors and xed gases and to advance the material to the other or delivery end by means of a screw conveyor, it has been found that some means of agitation, other than the straight action of the conveyor screw, is necessary to completely drive oi the volatiles without the use of an excessively long retort or without resorting to the other alternative of allowing the material to remain in the retort for a long period.

1n all of the methods of carbonizaticn, in which the material to be treated is moved from one end of the retort to the other end, more or less of the material, softened by the heat, adheres to' the Walls of the retort, forming a hard film of carbon which greatly interferes with the transfer of heat to the material and greatly interferes With the operation of the retort. This carbon formation is also caused, to a great extent by the crackingof the condensable vapors which are driven off from the material being treated.

It is an object of my invention to provide means for carbonizing in which sucient agitation is provided, so that all the particles of the material are quickly and repeatedly brought into intimate contact With the hot walls of the retort, so that complete carbonization Will be effected in a comparatively short time and with the use of a comparatively short retort. A further object of the invention is to provide means for 140 carbonizing in which adhesion to the walls of the retort will be overcome and delivery of the residue from the carbonization process Will be ensured.

With the objects above indicated and other objects hereinafter explained in View my invention consists in the construction and combina tion of elements hereinafter described and claimed.

Referring to the drawings:

Figure 1 is a longitudinal central vertical section, and

Figures 2, 3 and 4, are cross-sectional views on lines 2, 3, and 4, respectively of Figure 1.

In the drawings l indicates a tubular retort (c1. 2oz- 118) extending` horizontally, or nearly horizontally, through a heating chamber 2 to which heat is applied in any usual way as by burners 3 on fuel supply pipe Il. The Walls of chamber 2 may be of any heat resisting material and should so enclose the retort that the products of combustion may circulate completely about the retort. The ends of the retort extend outward through suitable openings 5 and 6 in the end walls of the heating chamber 2.

The end portions of the retort outside the end Walls of the heating chamber are supported on rollers .7, 8, adapted to permit the retort to be rotated. At a suitable point preferably on the inlet end portionof the retort a gear 9 is secured to it and this gear is connected by a sprocket chainwith sprocket gear 10 on a driving shaft 11 here shown as parallel with and `below the retort.

The inlet end of the retort extends into and has its bearing in the end of an inlet casing member 13. A packing gland 14 prevents leakage of gases from this end of the retort. The discharge end of the retort has its 'bearing in the end l5 of a discharge casing member 16. A packing gland l'l similar to packing gland 14 prevents leakage of gases from the discharge end of the retort.

The inlet casing member 13 is provided on its upper side with an inlet opening 18 through which the material to be treated may flow into an interior chamber 19 preferably cylindrical and corresponding in diameter with the interior diameter of the retort. This chamber 19 is closedat its outer end by a plate 20.

The discharge casing member 16 has a chamber 21 formed therein of sufficient size to receive the feed screw 22 carried on shaft 23 and has above this interior' chamber an opening 24 for escape of gases and has below the interior chamber an opening 25 for discharge of solid material. Gas discharge opening 24 is to be connected by a suitable pipe (not shown) to a suitable condenser (not shown) as is customary in carbonizing retorts. To discharge opening 25 is connected a suitable pipe or spout 25 for delivering the solid material resulting from the carbonization to such point as may be desired. This pipe or spout 26 is preferably provided with a valve 27 here shown as a shaft 28 carrying Wings 29 rotating in a cylindrical enlargement 30 and is adapted to permit solid material to be discharged freely Without permitting escape of any substantial quantity of gas.

The discharge casing member 16 also has on the outer wall 31 of the chamber 21, an outm wardly extending tube 32 adapted to receive the end of shaft 23 and to form a bearing therefor in which the end of the shaft may rotate and reciprocate.

Plate 20 which closes the outer end of interior chamber 19 of the inlet casing member is provided slightly Vbelow its centre with an opening 33 adapted to receive and form a bearing for shaft 23 which the shaft may rotate and reciprocate. A spider 3e secured to plate 20 carries a bearing opening 35 in line with lbearing opening 33. Y

Between the bearing openings 33 and 35 a gear 36 is splined on shaft 23 and this gear is connected, as by sprocket chain 37 with a sprocket 38 on driving shaft 11. At its outer end which extends through bearing openings 33 and 35 shaft 23 is connected by a 7universal joint 39 with the end of a pitman 40, the other end of which is carried by the wrist pin 41 of a crank 42 on crank shaft 43 which may be driven by any convenient means.

Screw 22 extends through the entire length of the retort and into the chambers 19 and 21 of the inlet and discharge member casings. Its outer diameter is slightly less than the interior diameter of the retort and as its bearings at both ends are below the axis of the retort it will contact with the interior retort only on a line directly below the axis.

rIhe material to be treated, which is usually finely divided bituminous coal, though other carbonaceous material may be treated, may be fed to inlet opening 18 by any convenient means. The means for this purpose here shown comprises a feed screw 45 within a cylindrical chamber 46 having an inlet opening 47 leading from a hopper 48 and a discharge opening 49 in line with inlet opening 18.

Driving shaft 1l is driven by means of suitable gearing here shown as'a bevel gear V.50 on shaft 11 and a bevel pinion 5l on cross shaft 52, which is. driven continuously in one direction by any suitable means.

Reciprocation of the screw feed acts to ensure greater agitation of the material and to subject it to the same heating effect that it would receive in a retort of greater length and, by reason of the contact of the outer edges of. the screw with the wall of the retort, scrapes off any of the solid material which may adhere to the wall.

The contact of the outer edges of the screw also aid in scraping from the wall of the retort any adhering material.

Sprocket gear 9 on the retort as shown is of greater diameter than gear 36 on the shaft 23 of the conveyor screw 22, and will therefore rotate more slowly than does the conveyor or screw.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim iszl. The combination with an elongated tubular Vretort mounted to rotate axially, of a conveyor screw within the retort extending longitudinally thereof mounted to rotate axially and to be movable longitudinally, means for rotatn ing the conveyor screw, means for reciprocating the conveyor screw longitudinally, and means for rotating the retort.

2. The combination with an elongated tubular retort mounted to rotate axially having an inlet opening near one end and a discharge opening near its other end, of a conveyor screw within the retort extending longitudinally thereof mounted to rotate axially and to be movable longitudinally, means for rotating the retort, means for rotating the conveyor screw, and means for so reciprocating the conveyor screw that an end portion thereof will be moved into and out of line with the discharge opening of the retort.

3. The combination with an elongated tubular retort mounted to rotate axially, having an inlet opening near one end and a discharge opening near its other end, of a conveyor screw within the retort extending longitudinally thereof and of a length greater than the distance 'between the inlet opening and the discharge opening mounted to rotate axially and Vto be movable longitudinally, means for rotating the conveyor screw, means for reciprocating the conveyor screw longitudinally, and means for rotating the retort.

JAMES DORSEY MCQUADE.

` Iss 

